Integral Design's Primaloft Bags - Pros/Cons?

[longhair19]

Wondering if anyone has experience with the Renaissance +20 Primaloft bag? Any problems with loss of loft? How well does the shell repel precip and/or standing water? Are ID's weights fairly accurate?

 

I'm seriously considering buying one locally from PMS this month for using in the Fall.

 

Any 'details' would be most appreciated from experienced users. Thanks

[fear]

Only problem I've had with Primaloft is that it doesn't like being super-compressed over and over. It tends to lose it's loft much faster than Polarguard and the others. Other than that I think it's the absolute best synthetic insulation out there....

 

-Fear

[longhair19]

Yeah, I have a MEC Primaloft Pullover that is easily the best clothing peice I've ever had the pleasure to wear, it saved my bum last mid Oct. I've yet to experience any loss of loft. It's only 1.8-oz per yard PL1 but way warmer than than my Lowe 250-wt. fleece Jkt.

 

As for the ID PL bag I won't be carrying it in a compression sack, only the one it comes with.

 

Thanks

[fleblebleb]

I've got one of those things. I'll spout some nonsense for you, no problem

 

My bag has the epic cover. It tears somewhat easily. Just remember to take your crampons off.

 

Water repellency is OK. Forget about standing water, you need a full-on hardshell to beat that. I use a bivi bag when concerned about things getting wet.

 

One thing I've really liked about this bag is that I never notice whether it's damp or dry until I start checking for it. Same thing with my primaloft jacket, works in a downpour despite not being "waterproof" at all. Cool.

 

I think Fear might be onto something with the compression comment. I use a very large pack for most overnight trips, but the sleeping bag often takes almost half the space - so I hardly ever compress it much.

 

I haven't noticed a loft decrease after two years of sporadic use, but I do most stuff in a day and I use my grunge bag for car-camping and trailhead bivis.

 

I bought mine in a hurry and was a little annoyed that the only one available was the wide version. Then later I realized I can combine the primaloft bag with a superlight downbag for an arctic-worthy system, and the primaloft will suck moisture away from the down. Or body heat pumps it outwards or whatever.

 

I'd tell you something negative about it, except I guess I'm pretty much an all-around happy buyer. The way the bag deals with moisture outweighs the weight and volume gains you'd get with a down bag. A superlight downbag like one of those Western Mountaineering bags Jim sells would be quite a bit lighter and smaller though.

 

I sleep warm, YMMV.

[longhair19]

Since posting these questions about this particular bag, on three different outdoor forums recently, I've yet to read anything negative about ID's Primaloft bags. At first I thought that maybe it's because there are not many people actually using these bags (for whatever reason) and/or that people who have 'em are not on these forums!

 

At any rate, I believe this bag will be a good solid choice for me for the environmental conditions and climate I'll be using it in here in the PNW. Just because the big boys may not use PL1 & PL2 insulation in their bag offerings, doesn't mean squat in my book. The stuff works better than any other insulated clothing I currently have used in the past and present and speaks volumes. I'm sure I'll be be happy with this bag.

 

Next year, I'm going to put cold cash on an Epic shelled, +20 FF bag and be done with it. That'll give me three bags!

 

Thanks again.